Lonely Eyes, Bright Hearts
by CheynotShy
Summary: Halifax never realized that he could feel this kind of love. Not until he saw what one of his trading partners did for him during one of his worst times. He then understood why France wanted to give love to everybody he meets. It was such a nice warm feeling and he wished to share it with the one he loves. (Uses OC's for the majority of the story.)
1. Chapter 1

Breathes of cold air could be seen as he ran to catch up with his older brother, Britain. His breath came out ragged and he caught eyes of people of the harbor city, who felt pity for such a sickly looking kid. But he didn't know that, as he knew he would become healthier with his big sister's cooking. She could always make him feel better about anything with just her cooking and the fact she would always tell him she loved him dearly.

When he caught up to Britain, he then tried to grab his hand wanting to keep up with him without having to run so much. The older blond looked down at him and something passed through his eyes before slowly he took the young boy's hand. The little boy gave him a bright smile and pulled him a bit to start walking. When turning his head away, Britain smiled and started to walk to their destination.

Britain wanted to take a coach to where they were going, but Halifax insisted that he could walk him there. Nova Scotia also put in that he should spend some time with him and show him some attention rather than ignoring him. He muttered at how the girl spoke to him, but he couldn't help but agree with her. He did need to show the boy something other than anger that was caused by others. Halifax was always trying to show his love to him by giving hugs, kisses on the cheek and presents that he though Britain would love.

"Brother, who are we meeting for business today?" Halifax asked.

"We are meeting America and one of his capitols, Boston for trading." He answered back, adjusting both his and Halifax's scarf.

"I've met America, but never Boston. What's he like?"

"A nice boy who's on the quiet side. Quite the opposite of America to be honest."

Halifax nodded and turned a corner onto the street where they were suppose to meet the two. Men in business suits gave him some looks, but nothing more than that. Halifax tugged a bit, excitement clearly taking over his body. Another smile came through his face at how cute Halifax was being.

"Which building was it again, brother?"

He pointed to a building that was further down the street and then felt himself being dragged there by little business men gave them weird looks and some of them then whispered to each other.

That's when he heard a loud voice calling through a window from one of the windows high up in the building. His face turned into a scowl and his gripped may have tightened a bit.

"Hey guys you should get your butt up here! I don't have all day you know!" Shouted the puppy like, America.

Halifax whether trying to act like a child or somehow found that sentence a bit funny, he giggled and tugged Britain towards the door. They went up flights of stairs before finding the room, that Halifax had set up for all of them. A dull blue colour on the walls with white trim and a table with some food on it, a complimentary that Nova Scotia and Halifax provided with chairs surrounding it, is what Britain saw as he went into the room.

Hey Britain, what took you so long?" America asked loudly.

"I wanted to walk with big brother, so me and big sister insisted that he should walk instead of taking a coach here." Halifax replied in a joyful tone.

"That's cute."

With that Britain saw Halifax looking around for what could become his trading partner. America didn't take notice of this and kept talking about something that was going in his country.

Halifax wandered off a bit and saw a boy with a dark shade of brown sitting in the chair quietly and holding his hands in the proper way. Halifax saw that he was looking at the food with hungry eyes. A smile that had spread itself on his face while taking all of this in, he walked over to the boy and started to speak to him.

"Why don't you take a bite? I'm sure Mr. America and Britain will understand."

The boy snapped his head up and was blushing at the fact he was caught doing what little children did when seeing sweets.

"I wanted to wait for my hosts to serve me. That's what America told me what was best to do when being invited to somebody's house." He said quietly.

"Well we're here now, so I declare that we can eat. After all my sister and I paid and cooked it for you to enjoy. She said that you like lobster just like me and her." Halifax said with a bright smile.

Boston gave him a strange look for a few seconds before he turned his head to the food. He got up from his chair and leaned slightly over the table to grab what he wanted. Halifax felt his heart sing with joy when Boston told him that the food as good, even if it tasted slight different from what he was use to.

America and Britain saw what happened and couldn't help, but be those mothers who cooed at their friend's new born baby.

"This is great that they get along! So you think that they'll have a trading agreement?" America said, whispering into Britain's ear.

"I suppose that they will." Was Britain's answer.

They joined in with the food party and talked about anything and everything. Especially politics and how they felt about it.

Soon the food disappeared and the two boys couldn't help fall asleep from all that they ate. The two countries picked up their capitols and decided to ride a coach together to save on the money.

In silence they rode until they arrived at Halifax's home which was a home that was on the outskirts of the growing city. As Britain carefully took Halifax into his arm, he felt a tap on his shoulder from behind. He turned himself towards the doorway of the coach. There was the younger country as he held onto his capitol. Boston slept with a peaceful face and a bit of drool that was starting to fall.

There was a silent conversation between the two. Those who saw them said they couldn't say what they must have been saying to each other in silence.

The other nation shrugged and as best he could shut the door to the coach. Britain told the coachmen that they could take those two to their hotel now. He walked up the walk way, seeing the windows being lite with candles. Halifax snuggled closer for warmth. Breathes of cold air came from the both of them as they entered the home.

* * *

Yeah I'm starting a new fanfic...I wasn't counting on it. Anyway A little history note, Britain did create Halifax in 1749. I figured Halifax would see him as an older brother figure that wasn't around a lot. I also know that Halifax had been trading partners with Boston since he was created, so this is their first meeting.

On another note, I felt that America and Britain would have some tense moments way before 1765 when the American Revolution started, so I gave some tense moments.


	2. Chapter 2

December 6th, 1917 is when it happened. He was at the harbor, checking around the docks for both the fishermen and those with shipments for the war that was going on. He may have his older sister to do the paperwork, but he liked getting to know people as he loved to hear of the far off places that seemed to be a fairy tale rather then being an actual place to visit.

He had made friends with the locals and anyone else that could recognize him. The locals always said to those traveling, that they could feel their pride somehow glowing when he was around.

But today was not like any other day Halifax had gotten use to since the war happened. Not when he saw disaster slowly crawling to shore and he couldn't run no matter what he tried to do. Those around him ran as far as they could and some tried to pull him away from his spot that he seemed stuck to.

Soon the ship that was set a flame reached shore and sat there burning to the ground. Halifax then felt himself running from it, knowing something more than it just burning was going to happen.

There was a sound of explosion and then he felt a wave of something that forced him to the ground. Halifax also felt his head crack against something, but could feel no pain. He then found himself closing his eyes and then swam in the inky blackness that came over him.

* * *

Nova Scotia entered the room, seeing a teen boy that would soon become a man with hair messed up from where ever he was slept. She was about to say "No visitors allowed in this room, sir" be she saw who it was.

"Boston?" She said confusion quickly taking over her face.

He looked up and Nova saw the red around his eyes along with tear stains on his him take a deep breath, she decided that she should attend to her little to brother. Moving to one side of the hospital bed, she did what any nurse would do. But to anybody else who saw how she was treating him, they would say that she did it with a careful or gentle touch that a mother would have for her child.

"Is he?" Boston tried to ask, but trailed off.

"Yes he'll be okay. Just going to take some time before all of them will disappear."She said softly.

They saw the young blond shift himself in his sleep into a more comfortable position. Boston lifted his hand to one of his cheeks, where there happen to be a visible burn marks that Nova couldn't hide under bandages. Gently as he could, he stroked where the burn and the skin met, as it slowly healed itself.

She felt that she leave from what she was seeing from the american as she was about to leave the room, she heard say something quietly.

"What was that?" She asked.

"What can I do to help him? He said.

"I don't know."

"There must be something I could do.I'll do anything, I swear I will." Came the desperate answer from the teen, as a new set of tears started to form in his eyes.

"I guess you could ask some of the people need more help then him at the moment, dear."

It was quiet for a few moments before he gave a quiet yes ma'am. He gathered all of his things that he had brought and left quickly. Nova turned to her brother and petted where his hair stuck out the bandages.

"You never realized how much he loved you. Maybe this course of action will open your eyes.'She said softly.

With that she turned and left the room. Hope in her heart saying he'll be okay.

* * *

There were words that were echoing around in his head as he tried to wake himself. Light from the windows went across the lower half of the bed and there on his legs, laid a cat, soaking up the sunlight.

He tried to move himself into a sitting position, but found he didn't want to from all the pain in his abdomen. With that he went into staring around the room, trying to remember what happened to him that got him into such a state.

The cat that was laying on his legs went to find a new position that was more it walk up his body, which surprisingly didn't hurt. It settled on his chest to rest, which he had no problem with. He found himself petting it and liked the feeling of when the cat started to purr.

"You're nice for a cat. Better not let you near my sister, she would spoil you for sure." He said.

It gave a meow in response. For the next few hours all he did was talk to the cat and wait for it to respond in some way.

There came a knock at the door and he saw his sister in a nurse's outfit. She looked scarily strict with her fiery red hair in a bun and her face set to neural.

"May I come in to check on you, Hali?" She asked.

He gave a nod and saw her face brighten up. He watched as she replaced the bandages and throw away the old ones.

"What happened to me? All I can remember is walking around on the docks, talking to people and then nothing." He said.

She had her back turned and didn't answer him for the longest time.

"There was an accident at the harbor. Two ships, Mont Blanc and Imo caused the accident. You were there when it happened. I made sure," She paused to take a deep breath," I made sure that I found you before anybody else found you. I've been taking care of you ever since I got you into this room."

He sat silently taking in the information his sister had given him. She was taking deep breathes in, not wanting to cry in front him. She knows that the last time he saw her cry, he was frightened. After all big sisters are suppose to be the brave ones for their younger siblings.

"You can cry if you want sister. Seeing me like that must have caused you so much pain." He said quietly.

"No I shouldn't. You don't need to see the tears of a grown up." Was her reply.

Nova Scotia gave her brother a hug and left the room, wanting to cry in peace. Halifax looked back at the cat who decided to lay next to him, sleeping happily.

He rubbed behind its ears, sad that he made his big sister cry.

* * *

"He did what for me?" Halifax asked, shock running across his face.

"Boston sent supplies to help the people of your city. He sent food, clothing and anything else he could." The mayor repeated.

The capitol still recovering had insisted that he could live in his own home as long as he had his sister by his side.A bandage was wrapped around his head as he took documents from the mayor, reading quickly.

"He really did this?"

The mayor nodded. Halifax placed the documents back and leaned into his chair he was given. His mind was going a millions miles an hour, wondering why the other capitol would do such a thing for him.

"I would suggest we should send the city something in return for what they have done for us."

Halifax nodded in agreement.

"I should send him a tree for Christmas." Was all he said.

"That sounds lovely. A big one or...?"

"A big one. To show how grateful I am."

With that Halifax left the office, already think up trip details to look for the perfect tree for Boston.

* * *

End for this chapter. The Halifax explosion happened December 6th, 1917. Two ships, called Mont Blanc and Imo crashed into each other. Mont Blanc held explosives that caught fire. The ship came to shore and 20 minutes later it exploded. Nearly all structures in a half mile radius were destoryed. There was about 2,000 people died in the accident and about 9,000 were injured. The blast that it made was the largest man made one until nuclear weapons were made.

Boston along with some help from some other parts of Canada came to help the city out.

To return how grateful the people were to the capitol, they sent a huge Christmas tree. It has since then become a tradition that Nova Scotia sends a tree every year to the city.

Well besides all of that information, I shall be going and writing the next chapter.


End file.
